Boot or shoe



(NoMoael.)

H. T. MARSHALL.v

` BOOT OR SHOE. No. 340,135. Patented AplnZO, 1886'.

Aram Finca.

HOWARD' T. MARSHALL, or BRooKToN', MASSACHUSETTS'.

BooT ou SHOE.

SPECEECATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,135, dated April 20,1886.

' Application inea March ro, 1884.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be itknown that I, HOWARD T. M ARsHALL, of Brockton, in the county ofPlymouth and State ot' Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Boots and Shoes, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to boots and shoes, more particularly designedfor use in playing lawn-tennis, although capable of use for other gamesand purposes.

The invention consists of a boot or shoe the outer sole of which is madeeither in one thickness or in separate thicknesses, one or more ofindia-rubber or of any of its compounds, united in any suitable mannerto a thickness or layer or layers of cloth, and has its outer ortreading surface made of indiarubber or of any ot' its compounds, andprovided with separate and distinct protuberances or projections whichjoin and are integral with said surface and preferably in planesparallel therewith, are circular,or substantially so, and otherwise varegenerally p conoidical in form, and between and around them and at allparts of the sole at which they are located have the outeror treadingsurface ot' the sole exposed, all substantially as here` inafterdescribed.

ln the accompanying plate of drawings this invention is illustrated.

Figure l is a side View of a shoe of this invention. Fig. 2 is a faceview of the outer or treading surface of the shoe Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is avertical crosssection online 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail section online 4 4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a section of one ot' the protuberances, andFig. 6 is a section illustratinga modification in the form of theprotuberances or proaro jections.

In the drawings, A represents a shoe, and B is its outer sole, all,except as to this invention, made and attached together in any of theusual and well-known ways, and therefore needing noparticulardescription herein.

The outer sole, B, as particularly shown, is made in onev thickness, ofindia-rubber or of any of its compounds, and in one piece from andincluding the heel C to and including the toe D, and near its other-edgeand at and around the toe D, ball K, and shank G it is attached bystitches to a welt, E, which is secured to Serial No. 123,669. (Nomodel.)

the inner sole/,132, and upper F in any wellknown way, and at the heeland infront thereof itis attached by cement and by staples b, which passthrough it and the inner sole and are clinched on the inner side of theinner sole.

H H are protuberances or projections of the outer or treading surface ofthe outer sole and integral with the india-rubber or any of itscompounds making said sole. These projections in planes parallel withthe treadingsurface of the sole are circular, or substantially so, inform, and otherwise generally of a couoidieal form, with the outer andsmaller ends, d, more or less rounded, their larger ends f being at theouter surface of the sole. Again, t-be project-ions are arranged uponthe toe, ball, and heel of the sole, and, it' so desired, the shank canalso be provided with them, but it is not necessary, and, preferably theprojections are arranged in regular lines, and lines preferablycorresponding to the general outline of the edge ot' the outer sole, andthey are separated from each other and have the outer or treadingsurface of the sole and with which they are integral exposed around andbetween them.

The outer sole with its projections as above described is in one piece,and preferably it is molded in any suitable manner and as well known inthe molding of various articles from india-rubber or its compounds.

The projections H, by being made ot' circular or cf substantiallycircular form. as stated and shown, conform more particularly to thegeneral outline or curvature of the edge a of the outer sole, and thusthey present not only a much neater appearance than they would if theywere of a square, triangular, or lozenge` shape in similar planes, butalso an increased serviceability and durability.

The outer sole, although particularlyshown and described as of rubber inone thickness, can be made of rubber in two or more thicknesses,combined with a layer or layers of cloth or other similar' sheetmaterial placed between and united to them and the several layers unitedtogether by being molded and pressed all in any of the usual ways ofuniting and securing rubber to cloth or other sheet material.

If the outer sole is made of separate thickmesses of india-rubber andcloth, as just above IOO stated, in all cases the .thickness making theouter or treading surface of the sole is of india-v rubber, and theprojections H are separate but integral therewith, and otherwisepreferably of the form described.

The combination of cloth with rubber allows a thinlayer of rubber to beused, for the reason that the cloth serves to protect and strengthen, asit were, the rubber, and more especially so at the line of the stitchesby which, preferably, the outer sole is attached to the boot or shoe, asdescribed, and for that purpose alone the cloth need onlyinclude a smallportion of the sole, and that at or near the outer edge thereof, wherethestitchesare to pass through it.

The projections H of the outer sole can be more or less square-sided,Fig. 6, or elliptical in lieu of circular, as described; but it ispreferable to have them as near circular as possible, for thereasonsstated, and also to have their outer ends rounded; but they may be moreor less pointed.

The outer sole, in lieu of securing it to the welt, as described, can besecured by stitches or otherwise directly to the upper and inner sole inthe usual manner of making boots and shoes.

A boot or shoe having a rubber outer sole provided with projections, asdescribed and shown, is very desirable, especiallyin playing lawn-tennisand like gaines, for the reason that the projections in the playing ofsuch games act to secure a most irm and close footing of the boot orshoe upon the ground or floor,

and thus they tend to obviate the liability or danger of the wearerslipping.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 1s-

1. A boot or shoe having an outer sole permanently secured to the upperand inner sole, and its outer or treading surface made of indiarubber orany of its compounds, and provided with independent projections integralwith said rubber and severally separated from each other, andwith thesurface of the sole exposed between and around them', substantially asdescribed, and for the purpose specified.

2. A boot or shoe having an outer sole permanently secured to the upperand inner sole, and its outer ortreadingsurface made of india rubber orany of its compounds, and provided with independent projections integralwith said rubber of conoidical and in planes panallel with said outersurface of circular or substantially circular form, and severallyseparated from each other, and with the surface of the sole exposedbetween and around them, substantially as described, and for the purposespecified. A

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

HOVARD T. MARSHALL.

Witnesses:

WM. S. BELLoWs, EDWIN W. BROWN.

